SOCCER NEWS from Big Apple Soccer

January 16, 2014

HALL HOPEFULSClass of 2014 Hall of Fame nominees revealed

CHICAGO -Ballots have been distributed and voting has begun for the National Soccer Hall of Fame Class of 2014.

Voting in the Player, Veteran Player and Builder continues through Feb. 7, and the election results will be announced shortly after. Induction ceremony details for the Class of 2014 will be announced at a later date.

"The National Soccer Hall of Fame class for 2014 will certainly be a stellar one," said Hank Steinbrecher, Chairman of the Hall of Fame's Board of Directors. "Each and every one on the ballot is more than deserving of the ultimate recognition of being elected into the Hall. "

Of the 27 players on the Player ballot, Raul Diaz Arce, Marco Etcheverry, Zoran Karic, Victor Nogueira and Cindy Parlow Cone are in their final year of eligibility.

In order to be eligible for election as a Player, an individual must be retired for at least three years, but for no more than 10 years and have either played in at least 20 international games for the U.S., or played at least five seasons in an American first-division professional league and been named to a postseason All-League or All-Star team at least once.
Beginning with the 2014 Class, Player and Veteran eligibility criteria have been amended to allow the inclusion of eligible Major Indoor Soccer League players. Under the amendment, eligible players must have played at least five seasons in the MISL between 1984 and the end of the league in 1992, and been selected as a first-team postseason All-Star in at least one of those seasons.

The voting pool includes all past and present full Men's and Women's National Team coaches, all active MLS and NWSL head coaches with a minimum of four years of experience as a head coach in a first-division league, MLS and NWSL management representatives, MLS Commissioner, NWSL Executive Director, U.S. Soccer CEO/Secretary General, U.S. Soccer President, designated media members, and all Hall of Famers.

Each voter can list up to 10 candidates per ballot. Any player appearing on at least 66.7 percent of ballots will earn election, while any player who does not appear on at least five percent of ballots will be removed from voting contention until they qualify for the Veteran ballot.

* First year of eligibility
** Final year of eligibility; moves to Veteran ballot in 2015

Veteran players

Voting is also set to begin for the Veteran Player and Builder ballots. Fifteen players are up for selection on the Veteran ballot, which is voted on only by current Hall of Famers after the list has been narrowed down by a screening committee.

Voters can name up to five Veteran candidates, and the top vote-getter will be elected as long as he or she appears on a minimum of 50 percent of the ballots. If no individual appears on 50 percent of the ballots, then no Veteran will be elected to the 2014 Class. More than one candidate may be elected in the event of a tie.

Eligibility for the Veteran ballot is the same as the Player ballot except that a player must be retired for more than 10 years. Further, the U.S. National Team cap requirement is lowered from 20 to 10 if the 10 caps came before 1990.

Builders are eligible by making their mark in the soccer community in a non-playing capacity while sustaining a major and positive impact on U.S. Soccer at the national federation or first-division level for 10 years. Referees must serve as a FIFA referee for at least seven years to be eligible (although a referee who has less than seven years as a FIFA international referee still can qualify for the list via 10 or more years as a United States first-division referee).